This invention deals generally with wells and more specifically with a multiple well shaft arrangement to remove and recover contaminants from a large area with a minimum number of pumps and without significant above ground structures.
An established method of removing contaminants from the ground is to pump water from the ground in the area of collection to create a "cone of depression". This technique actually lowers the ground water level in the local region where the pumped well removes water, and the dissolved as well as the lighter contaminants atop the ground water move down into the depression from which they can be pumped out of the ground. However, in order to decontaminate a large area, many individual wells are used and, since each of these wells uses a pump, and pipes are required to interconnect the many wells, pumps, and liquid storage facilities, the result is an elaborate network of above ground pipes for interconnection of the system. Such above ground structures can be used conveniently at locations where operations have been abandoned, but the use of such systems is very difficult in locations where there are still operating facilities. For instance, it is nearly impossible to continue normal operation of a railroad switch yard if pipes must criss-cross the area and pump houses and storage tanks occupy space required for the yard's operation.